Circulatory System Diagram

Circulatory system diagrams are visual representations of the circulatory system, also referred to as the cardiovascular system. It is comprised of three parts: the pulmonary circulation, coronary circulation, and systemic circulation. The main function of the circulatory system is to circulate blood, which carries oxygen and nutrients throughout the entire body.

Pulmonary Circulation: Takes deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs where it receives oxygen and then brings the now oxygenated blood back to the heart.

Coronary Circulation: The movement of blood throughout the tissue of the heart.

Systemic Circulation: After receiving oxygenated blood from the lungs the arteries of the systemic circulation system take the oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body. The veins of the systemic circulation system take the then deoxygenated blood from the body back to the heart.

Types of Circulatory System Diagrams

There are several different circulatory system diagrams. They may come with or without labels. Common circulatory system diagrams show pulmonary circulation, coronary circulation, systematic circulation, veins, arteries, or a combination. The systemic circulation system is the most commonly illustrated of the systems that make up the circulatory system as it is the largest. Because the systemic circulation system is found in every part of the body, it is common to find a diagram of the system specific to a certain area of the body: the head or the arms, for example.

Although there are different types of circulatory system diagrams, you fill find some consistencies throughout. Arteries should always be depicted using a red color; veins should be depicted using blue. This is done to make it easy to distinguish between arteries and veins as they look almost identical.